by Jacob Ninan
We are living in days when the frequency of calamities such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, tsunamis, landslides, and new diseases is increasing, just as the Bible says will happen just before the end. And then the novel corona virus emerged on the scene, bringing everyone to their knees. All who had put their trust on the cleverness of man with his science and technology have been brought to their wit's end. One question many are asking is whether this is a judgment from God and whether the end of the world is near. In order the answer this question, let us look at a passage where Jesus answers a question from the people of His time. His explanations can give us an understanding of what is going on.
"Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Lk.13:1-5).
We can take away two points from this discussion. First of all, Jesus categorically disproved a belief that many people had, which is similar to the concept called karma, which means that good people will receive good things in life, and so if something bad happens to anyone, the reason must be that they must have done something bad earlier in their life. This was the assumption which Job's friends made about him when calamity hit him. No, Jesus pointed out that the reason why some people had died in those two extraordinary ways was not that they were sinners. This kind of death was not necessarily a punishment from God for their wickedness. There were other more wicked people who had not died in this way. In other words, calamities can come to anyone, irrespective of their being good or bad. In fact, we can see that in earthquakes, tsunamis, pandemics, etc., children of God also die. Job was the most righteous man on earth at the time when calamity came to him.
The second point Jesus made is that there was another kind of 'perishing' that we should fear, more than the physical death that was going to come to everyone. The way to avoid that perishing was through 'repentance'. No amount of repentance can help us to avoid passing through physical death. But what we can avoid through repentance is eternal death - a separation from God for ever and ever in hell.
But most of the people in the world are not aware that this eternal death is waiting for them, and they are doing all their best trying to avoid the physical death that is sure for everyone no matter what anyone does.
Natural calamities such as the corona pandemic are therefore warnings from God to the world. They are a judgment from God on the sinfulness of mankind that causes people to ignore and neglect God, and disobey His commandments. They are not a personal judgment on individuals who die through them. When people do not listen to His normal warnings from His people, these are like wakeup calls He gives before destruction comes.
Many are indeed turning to God in repentance at this time. However, what we also see is that the majority of people are actually turning away from Him in anger, imagining that it is God's cruelty that is being seen (Rev.16:11). Many others are trying to distract their thoughts from the real possibility of death that is facing them, by burying themselves in entertainment of different types. A few others are trying to be bold with an imaginary faith that makes them think that no calamity will hurt them. But it is, in fact, a great mark of God's love that He sends us His advance warnings before the end of the world comes, knowing that there will be nothing anyone can do after the end comes to be saved. God does not want any to perish. That is why He takes even such steps to warn them before they perish. "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2Pet.3:9).
Once we repent from our sins and receive salvation from God through faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the promise of eternal life. It is only then that we can have an assurance of life in our heart, and be free from the fear of physical death that can come from such calamities.